Companions
by Lil-Samuu
Summary: Postgame piece of fluff featuring Colette, Sheena and Lloyd, mainly focusing on Colette and Sheena.


Pointless post-game one-shot featuring Sheena, Colette and Lloyd. Set while Colette and Lloyd are still on the exsphere collecting journey and are in Mizuho visiting Sheena.

Dedication: for a friend who I miss, hopefully it'll make them smile.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia. Namco own it I believe.

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"You know something?" Colette said, frowning, as she looked thoughtfully at the mug she was holding.

"Hmm?" Sheena prompted her to continue.

"This mug," Colette said, sighing, nodding at the object she was holding.

"Yes?" the summoner, again, prompted her to finish her thought.

"This mug right here," the little angel said, waving it around to emphasise which mug she was talking about, despite the fact that it was obvious, there were only three of them in the room.

"Yes?" Sheena frowned, tipping her head to one side. Colette paused for a few seconds for dramatic effect before replying.

"It's faulty," Colette shook her head sadly.

"Why? What's wrong with it? Is it chipped?" Sheena asked, taking the mug from Colette and examining it carefully.

"No, it just keeps emptying," Colette laughed, reaching over for the kettle, making herself another mug of hot chocolate.

"Well it is," Sheena paused to look over at the clock. "Gone three o'clock in the morning! How did we manage to keep talking for so long without noticing the time? No wonder you've managed to get through so many mugs of hot chocolate!"

"Only three o'clock?" Colette shrugged, smiling.

"It's alright for you, you don't have to be up early in the morning," the older woman shook her head.

"Do you?" the blonde asked.

"No," Sheena shook her head.

"Well then," Colette beamed, making another mug of hot chocolate for her friend. "They don't seem to mind either so that's alright."

She nodded at Lloyd and Noishe who were curled up together fast asleep, Lloyd snoring very softly as his dog-like companion twitched a paw and occasionally flicked his ears and tail in his sleep.

"So, where were we?" she asked, taking a sip from her mug.

"You're not tired?" Sheena asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Seems a pity to waste the drinks, we can talk while we finish them can't we?" Colette shrugged, a cheeky, childish grin on her face.

"Oh, alright, but you're going to make me breakfast tomorrow to make up for keeping me awake for so long," Sheena said good-naturedly.

"Fair enough," the little angel nodded. "Breakfast served promptly at six o'clock in the morning brought to you in bed along with the morning's paper alright?"

Sheena chuckled and shook her head.

"He probably won't be impressed by the bags under your eyes in the morning," she said, nodding at Lloyd, smiling to indicate that she wasn't being very serious.

"Oh no, you're right, he'll be so shocked by how ugly I look that he'll instantly dump me and run off with some prettier woman, I'd better get my beauty sleep right away!" Colette pretended to be horrified by the thought. She slumped against Sheena and started to snore, pretending to have fallen asleep instantly.

"You daft twit, gerroff," the summoner rolled her eyes and playfully shoved the blonde away.

Colette pretended to look hurt and moved to snuggle up beside Lloyd. The swordsman muttered sleepily and wrapped an arm around the little angel, smiling and sighing contentedly, then he resumed snoring quietly, causing Colette to giggle.

"You two seem happy," Sheena said, her smile clear in her tone of voice as well as on her face.

"We are, I'm so lucky to have him in my life," Colette smiled tenderly at Lloyd, lifting a hand to gently stroke his hair. "It's been wonderful travelling with him, spending time with him. He was so supportive when we were on the regeneration journey, I'm glad that I'm still around so I'm able to help him with his quest to collect up all the exspheres now."

"Uh oh, you're going to start getting all soppy now aren't you?" Sheena rolled her eyes, pretending to be not impressed by that thought but not minding really.

"It's not all been happy walks hand in hand through beautiful landscapes you know, some people have made the task of collecting up the exspheres very difficult. Plus you know how fun it can be travelling all the time. Did I tell you about the time when we got stuck out in the middle of nowhere when it started to rain really heavily? By the time we finally got to a town and found an inn to stay at we were soaked," Colette said, frowning at the memory of how unpleasantly cold the rain had been.

The two companions continued to talk, making several more mugs of hot chocolate as they exchanged stories about what had happened since they'd seen each other last and remembering events on the journey they had been on together.

Sheena frowned curiously when Colette got up suddenly after glancing at the clock.

"I've got something important to do, I'll be back in a minute," the little angel said.

Sheena assumed she was going to the bathroom and so was surprised when she heard sounds coming from the kitchen. Colette returned with plates of toast, some orange juice and some cereal balanced on a tray.

"Sorry about the absence of the morning paper, at least the breakfast's promptly on time," she smiled as she placed the tray down on the table next to Sheena. The summoner looked over at the clock, her eyes widening in surprise.

"It's six o'clock in the morning!" she gasped loudly.

The smell of the food and the noise of Sheena's shocked exclamation woke Lloyd up. He sat up and stretched his arms above his head, yawning, then blearily rubbed at his eyes.

"Is that breakfast?" he asked hopefully as he blinked sleepily.

"Thought you might like some," Colette smiled, passing him a plate of toast as she tucked into her own.

"What time is it?" the swordsman asked through a mouthful of toast. He pulled a puzzled expression as he looked at the clock. "Why are you awake so early?"

Frowning slightly he looked over at Colette.

"You've not actually been to bed yet have you?" he asked. She blushed and shook her head.

"No time for sleep when you're having an important conversation," Sheena shrugged then took a bite of toast.

"So you've solved all of the world's remaining problems then?" Lloyd chuckled.

"Oh yes, did that hours ago, we've just about finished working out the meaning of life now" Sheena replied, deadpan.

Lloyd smiled and ruffled Colette's hair playfully.

"I expect you're tired now," he said softly.

"Mmm, I could do with a nap," she replied, yawning.

"Sounds like you could do with a nice long sleep, not just a short nap. Come on, time for bed," he chuckled, scooping her up in his arms and standing up. He walked over to the door, being careful to avoid tripping over Noishe who was still curled up asleep on the floor.

"Goodnight Sheena, or is it good morning?" Colette asked sleepily.

"Well technically it's morning but as you've not been to sleep yet," Sheena began to think about the question.

"Oh no, no more talking, time for sleep now, I'm not standing here holding you for hours while you have another conversation," Lloyd chided gently, smiling.

"OK," Colette yawned, too sleepy to protest. "Sleep well Sheena."

"You too," the summoner replied, smiling. As the couple left the room she stood up and gathered up the breakfast dishes, putting them on the tray. As she wandered into the kitchen to put them in the sink she thought about how tired she felt. It had been worth staying up late to chat to Colette though, she didn't get to see her that often now that the little angel was travelling around with Lloyd and being able to catch up with her, to learn that she was happy and enjoying life even if it was difficult sometimes, had been good.


End file.
